Page 209 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae Species Larus canus
Common Gull grey-brown dull yellow-green bill

markings
on head
large white
spot on black bold white crescent
wingtips between grey back mid-grey back
and black wingtips
ADULT white spots on
(WINTER) wingtips

black band
on white brown wings, fading
tail to buff, with dark
brown tips ADULT
grey back (WINTER)
green to yellow-
IMMATURE green legs
IN FLIGHT (1ST WINTER)

IMMATURE dark eye
(1ST WINTER)
mid-grey white head
back
no red
long, slim
buff-grey shape on bill
bill with
black tip
pale buff-
wings fade pink legs green legs
much paler
ADULT FLIGHT: fluent, easy, relaxed; few glides; little or no
IMMATURE (1ST SUMMER) (SUMMER) soaring.
ather like the Herring Gull in its general pattern, the Common Gull is not
R as common in many areas and even in winter, when it is more widespread,
it has a curiously local distribution. In England, for example, it is abundant on fields
in some counties but quite scarce in others nearby. It becomes adult in three years,
taking longer than the smaller gulls but a year or two less than the larger species.
The plumage changes that occur with age and season are easily seen but, as with
other gulls, male and female are alike.
VOICE Loud, high, nasal, squealing kee-ee-ya, kee-ar-ar-ar-ar, short gagagaga.
NESTING Pad of grass on ground or low stump; 2 or 3 eggs; 1 brood; May–June.
FEEDING Takes worms, insects, fish, and molluscs from ground or water.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES Widespread but local, breeding on
coasts and moors in N and NW
HERRING GULL paler YELLOW- Europe. In winter, on farmland,
see p.209 LEGGED GULL
see p.210 especially grassy pastures, all kinds
red spot of coasts, reservoirs, some on tips,
on bill bigger yellow but generally more unevenly
bill with
bigger BLACK-HEADED red spot distributed than Black-headed Gull
and GULL winter; and less universally common.
pink legs
paler white triangle
on outer wings; Seen in the UK
see p.206 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 38–44cm (15–17 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 1.05–1.25m (3 1 ⁄2 –4ft) Weight 300–500g (11–18oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Declining
207